TRACY Flue, the woman who lost three of her children in a deadly fire on Thursday, is receiving counselling and other healthcare-related interventions and is being assisted with the funeral expenses.
Eight-year-old Timothy Kippins, six-year-old Trayshaw Kippins and one-year-old Zhlia Flue died in the fire which flattened their 10th Field, Barnwell, Mocha, East Bank Demerara (EBD) home. Their 23-year-old mother was at work at the time of tragedy.
During a social media programme on Friday, the victims’ cousin, Nima Flue-Bess, said “We feel deeply, as a family, that we should not have been in this position to see three healthy family members, three healthy kids lose their life in such a tragic manner.”
She explained that the post-mortem examination was done on the remains of the children on Friday morning and the family is currently awaiting the results.
“For us, it’s very hard. We were at the mortuary this morning (Friday) for the post-mortem and I can tell you, it has really taken a serious effect on me just seeing those three remains wrapped and I know it was even more difficult for the mother and grandmother,” she added.
Flue-Bess said that her cousin did not share what she was going through despite the family being “close-knit.”
“My cousin [Tracy] did not share all that she was going through with us … our family is a closely knitted family and it ain’t get no challenges that we back down from. But she did not share all the information with us. And I’m quite sure that if she did, all this [alleged] abuse taking place, such things would have been different,” she said.
Police have arrested Tracy’s ex-lover for questioning. The grieving woman alleged that her former boyfriend, whom she said was abusive which caused her to secure a restraining order, deliberately set her home afire. The woman claimed that on Wednesday evening the man called her and she opted not to answer.
According to Flue-Bess, Tracy will receive assistance for the burial of her children.
The woman further disclosed that Tracy is receiving counselling as well as assistance from a healthcare provider.
“She’s [Tracy] having difficulty in eating and drinking and even getting to sleep. We want to thank God that last night [Thursday] she was able to get at least three or four hours of sleep,” she said.
“I can tell you the thought of just us making the arrangement today, and we recognise that there will be three caskets… only God can help us… you know. It is really sick that we have to go through… It is very difficult,” the woman said during the programme.
As it relates to the claim made by the fire service that the fire was electrical in nature, Flue-Bess said that the family will await the findings of the post-mortem since they have “different views on that.”
During the programme, the woman said that the family is currently working on relocating the mother and building a new home for her.
“Our immediate need is to try… to get her to start setting up to live a somewhat normal life and having her own space and creating that environment where she can really be able to give love to her remaining child and to grieve as she goes along. Support is important, positive words are really important at this time to let her know that people are there to give her support,” she added.